Starting anew
The Church in its relationship with First Nations people
February 20, 2008
Mason Judy
Being North American, white and middle class seems to be almost synonymous with egoism. Whether it is forcefully shipping our culture to all corners of the world or subscribing to ideas that place our individuality front and center, it is obvious that we are most interested in ourselves.
Within the Evangelical Christian community it can be seen through the self-absorption that prioritizes sustaining the immediate needs of the church body. Outreach is promoted only after the kid’s church schedule is filled for the year and there are an adequate number of greeters every Sunday. When we do reach out, it seems easy to tell others and lead them in our footsteps. But when reaching out to culturally distinct neighbours there is a large problem. One of the most salient examples of this is the relationship between North American Christianity and First Nations people.
A major feature of the Western tradition, whether explicitly admitted or not, is the ideal of colonialism which has had complex and far-reaching negative effects. First Nations cultures have suffered horrific trials at the hands of Western colonialists trying to impose Western ideologies and practices.
Many of the First Nations people of Canada reside in financially impoverished communities that have been equated with developing nations around the world. On top of that, suicide rates amongst aboriginals are twice the national rate.
It is no small feat that Canadians have been able to keep most of this injustice out of mind. In the wake of broken and dishonest treaties, residential schools and unresolved land claims, it seems difficult to know where to begin.
There’s no quick or easy solution. If we, as a Christian community, want to come alongside First Nations leaders and communities to help them discover how they ultimately relate to God, we must keep in mind that, as we join them as partners in a mutual dialogue, the Western Christian tradition cannot dominate the conversation. The solution is not something that a Western community can give much less impose. It is obvious that with approximately 38,000 Christian denominations in existence that we are not privileged gatekeepers of theological truth.
Groups like Wiconi International and My People are evidence of the strength and impact that exists in Christian aboriginal communities. Recently, Richard and Dave Gomez from Wiconi were in Pakistan exchanging religious views with political leaders. Evidence of the growing number of indigenous believers around the world is embodied in The World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People – a bi-annual conference that has brought together over five hundred delegates from six continents representing over a hundred people groups.
The amazing vitality and endurance of the various aboriginal cultures is a testament to their strength as a people. It is especially important as Christians that we treat each other as full and equal members of the body of Christ and not be frightened of a new landscape. Otherwise we’ve learned nothing from the past.
Now you go...
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